I Wish Nzeogwu’s Coup Had Succeeded –Bakare
By Tunde Abatan , Deputy Editor



One of the promoters of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG), pastor Tunde Bakare has said that he now feels the impact of the January 15, 1966 failed military coup led by late Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzogwu based on current developments in Nigeria.

He said the failed Nzogwu’s military putsch against the then civilian government of the First Republic contributed much in deepening the poverty of leadership that has become the bane of the country.

Bakare, who is senior pastor of the Later Rain Assembly, made the disclosure on Thursday at the headquarters of the church in Lagos in an exclusive interview with Sunday Independent.

He said if the coup had succeeded, it would have rid Nigeria of bad leaders who, he said, profited from keeping the country divided for selfish gains.

He regretted that 44 years after the failed coup, several Nigerian leaders are still determined to profit from the

country’s division.

Said he: “How I wish the Nzeogwu coup had succeeded. It would at least have helped rid the nation of the bad eggs and help in welding it together and lay a solid foundation which we are still groping in the dark to achieve several years after.”

The fiery cleric said had the coup succeeded, the country would have been a better place to live, adding that the nation would have been rid of bad leaders who, he said, had held it hostage over the years to satisfy their selfish interest.

He, however, warned that the problem of the country today transcends another military coup, hence that should not be contemplated.

Rather, Bakare said the country needed a committed leader who could rise up like the Italian leader, Giuseppi Garibaldi, and weld all the various nationalities of the country together for the purpose of realising its potentials as a great nation.

On why he opted to hit the streets with the traditional Nigerian activists, Bakare said: “To inspire others and to take a stand and show that the present leadership in Nigeria is not what people wanted and to show that since social mobility in the present Nigeria is not fruitful there is the need to give voice to the voiceless and to let them say enough is enough to the present leadership in the country.”

He said the on going SNG nationwide rally is not a one off thing, rather a movement that is determined to enthrone good leadership.

“Our target is not Yar’Adua because the problem of this country is not Yar’Adua, rather the system and we are determined to tackle the problem headlong and bring the best and brightest to the service of the nation.”

Continuing he said: “In spite of the rot in the system, some of us would not sit aside and allow the country to continue the downward movement which could be catastrophic.”

Bakare said if the country is left in the hands of those he considered as “a cabal manipulating the affairs of the country it could lead to its beak up.”

His words: “I totally believe in the oneness of this country and this informs the reason why we must act now to prevent it from breaking into pieces and this is not good for us as a people. I am totally sold up to the idea of Nigeria and I want it to realise its potentials.

“We are poised to enthroning good leadership in this country and we will not stop at that as our agenda is much more than the present set of leadership, rather the need to sensitise Nigerians to end this same rudderless government that has not bettered its lot over the years and we are prepared to do this even at great risk to our lives.

“This is just not one rally but a process that is beyond the present government or the 2011 general elections which under the present circumstances cannot bring any good thing to the country.

“We must realise that you cannot continue to use the same medicine for a problem that has refused to go. When you use the same method it means you are likely to get the same result and this time around, we want to achieve something different that would change the face of this country and prevent it from sliding back and we are poised to do this even at great risk to our lives.”

Pastors should join hands in the call for good governance and quit preaching "first fruit" sermons and attending political weddings and wearing designer suits and all that.

I think it's time he gets himself some major security because the powers that be in Nigeria may send him to his early grave. The likes of Akingbemaru for sure will do it for a paltry sum.

What has gotten into the heads of some of these men of God with their inciting comments.they are supposed to regulate the society but resorting to full time politics may not augur well.the least we needed is another civil war generating from the comments of a religious leader who control a large congregation of people .it has happened before thats why im saying this and the northern cabals are watching;i hope his comments will not translate into another killing-galore in the north.

~Bluetooth:

What has gotten into the heads of some of these men of God with their inciting comments.they are supposed to regulate the society but resorting to full time politics may not augur well.the least we needed is another civil war generating from the comments of a religious leader who control a large congregation of people .it has happened before thats why im saying this and the northern cabals are watching;i hope his comments will not translate into another killing-galore in the north.

A typical Nigerian. When is facing the reality equates to inciting comments? You want everybody to remain dumb in order to maintain the status quo.

I have been keeping quiet on several of his comments, but I am beginning to see this man as a rudderless aircraft.

Some people are just waking up. But it was an 'Igbo' coup, could a coup led by a 'group of greedy people' have brought leadership sanity in Nigeria?

Mr Bakare, my question for you is did you just discover this or have you always known the potential 'fruits' of the failed coup? Maybe, helping us understand this may be a good place to start.

If true, these are unfortunate comments from Bakare. A true democrat will never support a coup. Full stop.

SapeleGuy:

If true, these are unfortunate comments from Bakare. A true democrat will never support a coup. Full stop.

My sentiments exactly.

I think Bakare saw the coup in terms of a revolution,not just an 'ordinary' coup-d'etat

MrPrsdent:

I think Bakare saw the coup in terms of a revolution,not just an 'ordinary' coup-d'etat

But he should mind his comments!. They are beginning to sound inciting!.

tell me what is inciting about his comments?? could his comments be equated to inciting comments by almajiris imam every friday in sabo-gari mosque

the time has come for nigerians to move forward if u wont join to move forward stand aside.

no hausa idiot have the rights to kill non moslems
no politician have to right to steal our money

it is time our lives change, i cant be suffering at every airport i travel to because of one rich spoilt hausa he-goat kid

since they did nto allow biafra go then, this is our country and we must make it work by any means

~Bluetooth:

What has gotten into the heads of some of these men of God with their inciting comments.they are supposed to regulate the society but resorting to full time politics may not augur well.the least we needed is another civil war generating from the comments of a religious leader who control a large congregation of people .it has happened before thats why im saying this and the northern cabals are watching;i hope his comments will not translate into another killing-galore in the north.

nzeogwu and co learnt of a secret plan to divide and rule nigerian masses before embarking on that failed coup.if the masses can rise and reclaim their rights led by a pastor,reverend or juju priest so be it.God bless naija.

Abagworo:

nzeogwu and co learnt of a secret plan to divide and rule nigerian masses before embarking on that failed coup.if the masses can rise and reclaim their rights led by a pastor,reverend or juju priest so be it.God bless naija.

That is a load of bull; where did you get that from?

Abagworo:

nzeogwu and co learnt of a secret plan to divide and rule nigerian masses before embarking on that failed coup.if the masses can rise and reclaim their rights led by a pastor,reverend or juju priest so be it.God bless naija.

Nigerian masses are too scared!. Until they take the bull by the horn, just like what they did to IBB in 1993, it will same-of-the-same.

the guys that did june 12 are they not the same guys eating us dry i know Bola tinubu was among nadeco then, what changes did he do in lagos

i am indirectly happy that IBBis alive and he is reaping the fruit of his labour. i am happy that he knows that there is not a world class hospital in nigeria that could have save his wife b4 she died.

i am happy he is going to see more and reap more b4 he dies and wish had i known i would have transformed this country instead of looting it dry.

Wonder what you jokes are insinuating. So he should keep silent and watch the system rot

i admire d man 4 standing up 2 be counted . I believe all of us shd also take a lead frm dis great man because being quiet n "siddon look syndrome"has only emboldened gangstars to milk dis nation dry. Dere is no incitement intended by him at all n he categorically stated his distaste 4 coups. It is a time 4 all 2 say enof is enof period.

Abagworo
in as much as i support any movements/campaigns for change from this our democracy-anarchy style of government,i will never support a military coup not even in the past or in the future.Real democrats preach revolution and not milatary coup

Do people still take Tunde Bakare seriously? That man has long been diagnosed with diarrhoea of the mouth. Every utterance from him only makes him appear more stupid & foolish.

~Bluetooth:

Abagworo
in as much as i support any movements/campaigns for change from this our democracy-anarchy style of government,i will never support a military coup not even in the past or in the future.Real democrats preach revolution and not milatary coup

yup

u guys shd even read d mans message b4 goin ga, ga. He specifically mentioned dat he does nt support any military take over. N wat do u mean dat u support revolution n nt coup?

TOTAL RUBBISH.

THAT COUP LED TO THE CIVIL WAR.

Buchio7
while both coup and revolution involve ousting of a particular regime or its leaders,revolution maintains the cultural,political,legal and economical structure of a nation while in a miliatry coup,all these structures seize to function.

Is Bakare not the pastor of a church called something like Later Rain Assembly? He is indeed a later day thinker. He is 40 years later than the visionary ones.

Mekusxyz:

Is Bakare not the pastor of a church called something like Later Rain Assembly? He is indeed a later day thinker. He is 40 years later than the visionary ones.

lol

Bakare is a man after my own heart and the ideal pastor. He says the facts or truths without fear of being labelled whatever anyone has to say. Unfortunately Nigerians deserve the leadership it has that is killing it slowly and making this country the worlds biggest joke right now.So many ppl are coming online to criticise him for saying the truth. Sadly its obvious that people coming here to criticise him havent even bothered to read his statement. If Bakare was Gabonese, Ghanaian, or Zimbabwean he would be a hero to all except the establishment

God save this country, how can Tunde Bakare wished Nzeogwu's mutiny succeed? am very sure will not take it lightly with Bakare's utterance. Northerners may not talk but their silence is very dangerous.

4k the Northerners. You stupid cowards from the South act like the Northerners are untouchable supernatural beings. The day you stop fearing them like a bunch of toothless sissies will be the day you will find liberation. Bakare has every right to speak his mind whether the North likes it or not. Are we their slaves?

[/quote]God save this country, how can Tunde Bakare wished Nzeogwu's mutiny succeed? am very sure will not take it lightly with Bakare's utterance. Northerners may not talk but their silence is very dangerous.[quote]

@bashdecash

Who are these Northerners that you fear like this. Is it IBB, Abacha, Buhari and Abulsalem that held onto power via military coup? You can see that their time in Nigeria is fast coming to an end. Watch and see how the North will lose out of Nigeria in the next 10 to 15 years.

@ Gold-mind

15th January 1966 mutiny is something that still lingers in the heart of Northerners that makes them to converge every year in Arewa house kaduna to remember their fallen heroes. so, if anybody would voice out that the mutiny should have succeeded, that person is declaring an open war with the northern elites.

we are not talking about the past head of states here IBB and co, we are talking about all the northerners.

lets just not be raising unnecessary dust cos it may lead to smoke.

bashdecash:

@ Gold-mind

15th January 1966 mutiny is something that still lingers in the heart of Northerners that makes them to converge every year in Arewa house kaduna to remember their fallen heroes. so, if anybody would voice out that the mutiny should have succeeded, that person is declaring an open war with the northern elites.

we are not talking about the past head of states here IBB and co, we are talking about all the northerners.

lets just not be raising unnecessary dust cos it may lead to smoke.

meaning that in your opinion,the fear of northern elites is the beginning of wisdom,abi?